Dungeon Game c52

-52- Prelude 4

A few hours after the encounter with the giant wolf monster.

The group of Tsuzuki Haruna, which was down to five people after losing one, had retraced about a third of their trail back to the dungeon’s exit.

They had short breaks in between, but they’re clearly worn out. It’s natural that you will be tired more than the usual if your afraid of an attack while walking on a rugged path. Particularly, the spirit of Tsuzki and Kizugawa Sachi had been worn our from being on the lookout. But still, one of the reasons why no one is losing hope is that the the end is clearly in their sights. The dungeon looks the same everywhere, but passing through a clearly recognizeable location, there was a feeling that they’re slowly getting closer to the exit. That’s why their hearts can go on without being discouraged.

The boys shouldered the fighting to decrease the burden of the two, but Ooyamazaki Shun still had the most striking effort. He ends most of the fights alone in a flash. It was a scene they haven’t seen before in the exploration.

Ooyamazaki had been criticized as a big and unreliable man before. Being talked a lot behind his back about how he lacks confidence, has a slow judgment, and big but useless.

「Oooooooooh!」

He gives out a roar and swings a cloth with a stone wrapped inside. The simple handmade blackjack beats the monsters to death and clears the path. His friends waiting behind were starting to rely on that back of his.

However, the truth is far from what they expected. Once a fight is over and the visible threat disappears from their view, a bit of negligence is created. With the tense vigilance slacking, it approaches to strike at their openings until their mental state changes once again. By the time Tsuzuki and Kizugawa noticed the approaching existence, there was not much time left to prepare.

「Hiiih?!」

「It’s coming, watch out!!」

Kizugawa screams as she flees while Tsuzuki alerts everyone. Looking at the same direction, Tsuzuki shines the flashlight held in her hand towards the darkness of the dungeon.

Something visible in the distance is rapidly approaching and showing its gigantic figure. It’s a beast that reaches 2 meters in height just with its shoulders, has sharp fangs, sensitive nose and ears. A wolf endowed with mana is approaching.

Yawata Hajime stepped back in an attempt to escape, tripped on a small rock and fell. Ide Kousuke grabbed his metal bat and took a step forward even while trembling.

Ooyamazaku goes forward before anyone else.

His face is frozen in fear and also tired because of walking a long distance for a long time. Still, his instincts had told him that he was the only one who could do something about this situation.

Mustering his trembling heart, he gave out a savage voice to fire himself up. In a blink of an eye, it echoes through the cave and the senses of the wolf point towards him.

Its upper teeth lift up, showing its sharp white fangs to intimidate. The monster understood that he is the biggest threat and decided to target him.

Its opened jaws aim at his shoulder, but his blackjack strikes the wolf’s body before being bitten. The monster’s aim missed due to the pain and shock, but it was impossible to completely stop the force of its body that weighs more than 200 kilograms.

For Ooyamazaki to receive a tackle of the large build that gained speed directly, withstanding it is difficult. However, he was forced to retreat by the impact but did not fall down. After he plants his foot to withstand it, he immediately brandishes a jackknife and guards for a counterattack.

The wolf leaps back with agile movement. It cunningly predicted the trajectory of the weapon wielded in succession.

Even with a strong arm, not even one fast consecutive strike connected. Swinging his arms that are becoming heavy with restlessness, Ooyamazaki’s face gradually turns from red, to blue, and then purple.

His body screamed from the intense movements without even time to breathe.

Reaching his limit, he strikes with all that he got.

The monster bends its legs to crouch, bounces from the ground like a spring, and evades sideways. The sharp fangs of the wolf sink into Ooyamazaki’s arm that missed and revealed a big opening.

He is about to let out a voice of agony due to his flesh being torn and pain that reaches to the bones. Even so, he gritted his teeth, squeezed his fist tightly and punched its brows to knock it off. While the sound of grating bones is heard, he strikes over and over again. One of them eventually hit the sensitive tip of the nose where all the nerves are concentrated and the beast’s jaws opened due to the pain.

Blood is dripping through its red fangs and wrinkles form on the wolf’s face. Growling and without averting its gaze, it walks in an arc around Ooyamazaki who dealt a hard blow on it.

There’s no sensation on his bitten arm. The part below his elbow is dangling loosely, there are holes and blood flowing in his clothes. His wounds were so deep that even the bone was visible.

The beast is just assessing the situation and is not attempting to attack him. Only the time passes and, during that, he is losing blood. He felt strength leaving his body and growing colder.

Slowly but surely, the beast is waiting for him to weaken to capture its prey. For this reason, he shouted with all the voice that he could muster from deep inside him.

「I will buy you time so run away!!」

The resounding voice stopped and there was an immediate reply.

「Shit! Sorry, Ooyamazaki.」

「Ooyamazaki…」

「You idiot… Sorry for making fun if you behind your back…」

「Ooyamazki-kun.」

Hearing the sound of footsteps leaving, Ooyamazaki laughed. The wolf let out a great howl as it looked towards the four who were leaving. He felt a big change in the atmosphere, but he had no idea what happened. Still, in the middle of his incomprehension, he did not miss the big chance that appeared the moment the beast howled and kicked a stone as a diversion.

The wolf seems to be annoyed while avoiding the stone and glares at Ooyamazaki.

He hears a scream from behind.

But Ooyamazaki does not look back. If he shows a critical opening, he will be bypassed immediately. He knew that danger would fall to the four people he saved with so much trouble if that happens.

As he resigns to death and laughs wildly, a feeling awakens inside Ooyamazaki. Under the curtain of darkness, he burned his life and struggled against the giant wolf.

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